Old Melbourne Gaol

13/10/2026

06/10/2026

Have you explored Pentridge Prison yet?

18/09/2026

Billie B Brown returns to Old Melbourne Gaol for the final time these Spring School Holidays!

Step inside Melbourne’s historic Old Melbourne Gaol and join Billie B and the Secret Mystery Club for an exciting self-paced mystery trail.

A mysterious treasure has been missing for years. Long ago, a guard lost it during his rounds inside the Gaol, and it was never found. Now, Billie B and her friends are determined to uncover the truth and solve the mystery once and for all.

Using your activity map, follow a trail of clues through the historic cell block, meeting members of the Secret Mystery Club along the way. Search for hidden clues, decode secret messages and uncover pieces of the story as you explore the Gaol.

🗓️19 September to 4 October 2026, 10am–5pm
📍Old Melbourne Gaol, 377 Russell St, Melbourne
🎟️ Comment BILLIEB and we’ll send you the details and how to get free entry!

10/09/2026

Scary. Terrifying. Fun! 👀

What’s it actually like to play Call of Cthulhu inside a real prison cell? Our last players know…

Cell of Cthulhu is a three-hour immersive tabletop role-playing experience where cosmic horror, dark worlds and unsettling mysteries come to life inside the historic City Watch House at Old Melbourne Gaol. 🔐

With a professional Masters of Alchemy Game Master guiding the story, you’ll work together to unravel a complete one-shot adventure. And yes, you’ll be playing from inside an authentic Melbourne prison cell.

📍 Old Melbourne Gaol – City Watch House, 377 Russell St, Melbourne
🗓️ Wednesday 23 September
🕡 6.30pm–9.30pm

Love tabletop games, dark history or immersive experiences? Or just looking for something completely different to do on a Melbourne weeknight?

Tag your gaming crew and get your tickets! 🎲 Link in comments.

30/08/2026

Have you ever wondered why death masks were made from hanged prisoners? 💀

Could the shape of your skull reveal your character, or even whether you were prone to criminal behaviour?

In the 1800s, some people believed it could.

Known as phrenology, this now-discredited theory claimed that the shape and contours of the skull could reveal a person’s character and personality. The skull was divided into different sections, each supposedly linked to a particular trait, from intelligence and self-esteem to “destructiveness”.

Death masks and plaster casts of executed prisoners were used in attempts to study these supposed characteristics. One of the most famous examples is Ned Kelly, whose death mask was made shortly after his ex*****on at Melbourne Gaol in 1880.

But what did people actually believe they could learn from the shape of a prisoner’s head?

Hear from Historian and Curator Lizzie Anya-Petrivna as she explores the fascinating, and thoroughly debunked, world of death masks and phrenology at Old Melbourne Gaol.

Want to uncover more stories of crime, punishment and criminology? Explore the gaol on an audio tour included with your ticket, or join one of our guided tours and experiences, including Hangman’s Night Tour, Ghosts! What Ghosts?, Ned Kelly’s Last Stand and Life in the City Watch House.

School groups can also step inside the gaol and discover its history through our school excursions and education programs.

📍 Old Melbourne Gaol, 377 Russell St, Melbourne
🗓️ Open daily, 10am–5pm

🆓 Free general admission for National Trust members

🎟️ Tickets via the link in bio, including our special $30 general admission offer for under 30s daily.

Share this with someone fascinated by true crime, history, Ned Kelly or Melbourne’s darker past.

21/08/2026

The trial of Frederick Bailey Deeming caused a sensation in Melbourne in April 1892. His crimes were so shocking that some seriously considered him to be Jack the Ripper. He became Victoria’s most notorious 19th century criminal after Ned Kelly.

Deeming made several voyages between England, Australia, South Africa and South America. His first wife, Marie, and their children, born throughout the 1880s, accompanied him for some of the time. Deeming and his second wife, Emily Mather, arrived in Melbourne from England in 1891, and he rented a cottage in Windsor under the name Mr Drewin. He also purchased cement, tools and a pan from an ironmonger.

In March 1892, the owner of the house, John Stamford, was showing a prospective client through when he noticed a “disagreeable smell”. Police were summoned, and Emily’s body was discovered buried beneath the hearthstone, encased in cement.

Further investigation led Victorian police to contact English police, where another murder was revealed. At Deeming’s former home near Liverpool, the bodies of his first wife, Marie, and their four children were found buried beneath the hearthstone.

Deeming was arrested in Western Australia in March 1892 while masquerading as the dashing Baron Swanston and apparently on the point of marrying an unsuspecting Kate Rounsefell.

He was defended by future Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, who presented a defence of insanity. The jury rejected the defence, and Deeming was hanged on 23 May 1892.

Today, you can explore the story of Deeming and the darker chapters of Melbourne’s history at Old Melbourne Gaol.

📍 Old Melbourne Gaol
🗓️ Open 7 days, 10am–5pm
🎧 Audio tour included with general admission
🆓 National Trust members receive free general admission
🎟️ Special offer - Under 30s get $30 entry. All tickets types available via link in bio or on entry to the Gaol
🌙 Add to your experience with a Hangman’s Night Tour on select nights.

Know someone fascinated by true crime and Melbourne’s dark past? Share this with them and plan your visit to Old Melbourne Gaol!